ONE of Britain's best-known fire engines helped raise £900 for a North-East hospice on Saturday.

The 1954 Dennis F8, which has made regular televi- sion appearances in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, during the 13-year run of the TV drama, Heartbeat, and its spin-off series, The Royal, was in Durham City yesterday.

The engine is the proud possession of enthusiast- turned-firefighter Brett Clayton, now a watch manager at Bishop Auckland fire station, in County Durham.

He was happy to loan the engine to aid a street collection by colleagues in the Darlington and Durham Fire and Rescue Service.

Members of Durham's retained fire crew, part-time firefighters based at service headquarters at Framwellgate Moor, collected the money for St Cuthbert's Hospice, in the city.

Organiser, retained firefighter Allan Pattinson, thanked Mr Clayton, as well as Eileen Wood, of Durham City Markets Company, Acting Inspector Paul Hadden, of Durham Police, Anne Witton, of Durham City Council for their help, and everyone who made a donation.